Editorial: Why Guillermo del Toro's Films Are Never What They Seem

After years of off-screen hell, the newest movie directed by Guillermo del Toro, titled Crimson Peak, comes out nationwide today to unleash a kind of cinematic hell upon viewers everywhere. However, much like every one of del Toro's films, even though Crimson Peak is being sold as a horror movie (it's not) it's actually far more tragic than terrifying. As del Toro has tried to bring to people's attention on Twitter and other forms of social media, Crimson Peak is much more of a gothic romance than a straight-up horror film. Unfortunately, most people will go into the film this weekend expecting to be scared out of their minds and instead they will find something much more tragic and somber. With that let's take a look at why Guillermo del Toro's movies are never what they seem – and why Crimson Peak is no different.

When you think of Guillermo del Toro as a filmmaker, you probably think of a few things. You might think of fantasy, gorgeous visuals or fantastical storytelling. Whether it's The Devil's Backbone or Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro is a master at creating a movie that can both terrify you and astound you with its beauty. Crimson Peak falls into that category, even though it is more of a gothic fairytale romance than the horror film it is being advertised as. However, Crimson Peak isn't the first time a del Toro movie has been (in a way) falsely advertised.

For many people, Pan's Labyrinth was disappointing – not because it wasn't a great film, but because it wasn't the film a lot of people were expecting. The advertisements (and people's expectations) built up the film as a fantasy picture along the lines of Lord of the Rings or perhaps to a lesser extent del Toro's Hellboy movies, even though in the actual film the fantasy elements are few and far between. Pan's Labyrinth is actually a searing look at a young girl growing up during the hardships of the Spanish Civil War. The fantasy sequences are exactly that – fantasies concocted by the little girl as a coping mechanism. It's a rather poignant and beautiful film, so much that it was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, eventually winning three Oscars for Best Cinematography, Art Direction and Make-Up.

While some might have expected more fantasy out of Pan's Labyrinth, I always thought the movie struck a great balance between the fantasy and the harsh realities of the film's central storyline. Del Toro's greatest strength as a storyteller is finding the right balance in his movies – something that a lot of other filmmakers fail to understand or even grasp. Another great example of this balance is del Toro's The Devil's Backbone, which juggles a terrifying premise featuring ghostly apparitions – like Pan's, also set during the Spanish Civil War – and an innocent coming-of-age story. What makes del Toro such a gifted filmmaker is how he takes the genres he explores and utilizes them skillfully and artfully.

There's a great moment in Pan's Labyrinth that reflects this skill impeccably. It involves the villainous Captain Vidal (played by Sergi Lopez) smashing someone's face and it's so shocking because the film's tone – with its whimsical fantasy-esque moments – gets punctuated by searing and brutal violence. The moment is partly so shocking because there aren't many, if any, comparable moments of violence in the film before or after, so it stays with you far after the scene has ended. It's a hallmark of del Toro's craftsmanship as a filmmaker – and it's something he brings to every one of his movies, including Crimson Peak.

There might be some that go into Crimson Peak this weekend and walk out of the theater disappointed, but hopefully audiences at least take note of the film's dark and gothic beauty. There's a certain irony to the film's tonal balance – while the film isn't an outright horror film, in many ways it's the best horror film in many years. It's a great leap forward for a genre that seems filled with found footage films and teen slasher movies and sequels galore. Del Toro brings back a sense of old school chills with Crimson Peak and it's absolutely refreshing.

In a lot of horror movies, you go in expecting to be scared. While it is understandable why Crimson Peak was marketed as a horror film, I wish it wasn't. People will go in expecting to be scared and while the film is terrifying at times, it's more profoundly tragic with a gothic love story that harkens back to old age storytelling and filmmaking that we simply haven't seen that much of in decades. I argue it would be more rewarding if it wasn't marketed as a horror film, releasing the film of the the weight of those scary expectations, but studios have to sell del Toro's movies somehow.

Which is the real rub and probably the big reason why del Toro's movies aren't instantly sellable. Pacific Rim is a movie that some love and some hate and I understand why people feel both ways. I personally loved Pacific Rim, a film that unabashedly knew what it was, embraced it and was full of heart and energy. It had more emotion and characterization than any of the last Transformers movies combined. However, audiences probably had no idea what to expect from Pacific Rim besides a stupid Transformers rip-off as the previews advertised. I've spoken to many people that actively avoided the film because it looked like a poor man's Transformers. The tone it has is not for everyone – it's not afraid to be silly, but it's also not afraid to be heartfelt – and complaints I've heard mostly deal with the mix mash of tone.

So, in a traditional sense, Guillermo del Toro's movies will never be sellable because they defy convention and expectation. Crimson Peak is a hard movie to sell and anyone that's seen it will attest to that. It's a movie that is both stunning and frightening - featuring del Toro's trademark punctuations of brutal violence - but I guarantee you after the movie is over you'll be thinking of the characters and the story way more than you will the times you jumped from being scared. That is also the beauty of del Toro's movies, which are never simple or what they seem at first glance. Guillermo del Toro is one of the most gifted filmmakers working today and that is primarily because his movies are so dense and multi-layered.

What makes del Toro so unsellable – when say someone like Christopher Nolan makes billions with his movies – is because del Toro prefers the fantastical, while someone like Nolan prefers taking the fantastical and making it practical (and while someone like Michael Bay prefers the… well, complete lack thereof). The fantastical will always be the harder sell and why a movie like At the Mountains of Madness will dwell in development hell for years, while something immediately recognizable and sellable such as Transformers 5 will get greenlit overnight.

With that said, just make sure to go into Crimson Peak this weekend with an open mind. Don't expect to be scared at every whim and maybe you might be able to gleam all the film has to offer because trust me – the film has to offer a great many things, aside from looking stunning. While the film won't be the straight-forward horror some of you might be expecting, trust me when I say the film is all the better for it. It's not just a horror film and it's not just a gothic romance. It's a Guillermo del Toro movie. What do you think?

This is article is so spot on. Ironically being a huge fan of Del Toro, some of the Crimson Peak trailers that try to sell it has a horror film turn me off making me think he's made his way into cheap jump scares. But my better judgment knows he has much more to offer. Heading off to see this tomorrow and I can't wait!

Zack Snyder

Pans L was an masterpiece. Crimson Peak may well be the worst GDT film!
Crimson Peak is a love story, but with ghosts in it.

Higgens

I think he makes great films that companys then have to market to stupid audiences.

bumboclot

I'm surprised people had these expectations. For both Pan's L and Pacific R, I got pretty much exactly what I expected. Maybe I didn't pay attention to the marketing.

ari smulders

Í love every movie of Del Toro and especially pan's labyrinth.
Pacific Rim was to childish for me and indeed to much a transformers lookalike ,and it wouldn't be made if there weren't any Michael Bay movies.
There is always something mystical about his movies and always gorgeous to see.
By the way:the strain is also very well made,love that TV show...

Jon Odishaw

In the case of P R I went in with the expectation that it would be jaw dropping but instead found it to be poorly cast(aside from idris who can do no wrong) and, apart from the battle spectacles, very lacklustre. Even the climax battle was nothing short of a let down. Perhaps I am beating a dead kaiju though.

I try not to think about it too much, just happy his voice is out there and he's making stuff.

III

I always told myself GDT was very average filmmaker. He chooses interesting stories but his visuals are very unimpressive.

filmtogo

I pretty much loved CRIMSON PEAK. Funny thing. In my local movie theater they had a "Ladies Night" preview of the film. So normally at this "Ladies Nights" they show comedies or romances like the Nicholas Sparks stuff. This time...CRIMSON PEAK. Believe me. After five minutes most of the "Ladies" were actually screaming. They watched a horror film 😉 But yeah, I love how Guillermo Del Toro puts his main focus on the characters and the atmosphere. Being drawn right into his CRIMSON PEAK haunted house was more frightening than any slasher movie or any jump scare in whatever horror flick of the last years. You could compare the atmosphere of CRIMSON PEAK with THE WOMAN IN BLACK with Daniel Radcliffe (obviously the first one, don't talk about the second one!). I liked that too. It is definitely an underrated movie. I just love horror movies which draw me in by creating a beautiful but tense surrounding. And with expectations Del Toro is right up there with Shyamalan. I know a lot of people who expected a full frontal horror flick / found footage movie with THE VISIT. I always said that Shyamalan never did a real horror movie but my friends were totally disappointed while I really liked THE VISIT too. You have to know the previous works of a director to really understand what you're in for. You really can't trust marketing. They almost always don't really get it.

Payne by name

I have to agree with you on Del Toro's film. There is always something holding me back from completely loving them.
I like the set up and look of Hellboy and I like the action scenes but there's something that holds me back.
Just like Pacific Rim. The first time I saw it, I hated it. Hated it because it could have been so much more were it not for the silly, stupid antics of the J J Abrams wannabe character and the appalling acting. However, I've watched it a couple of times since and by ignoring those frustrating elements, I love the look of the Jaegers and monsters, like the music and find the action as satisfying as the very first transformer film.
I enjoyed Pan's L and the scenes you mentioned did haunt me after the film. I have to say that the film of GDT that I have most completely enjoyed is Blade II. A cracking film in my book with a gorgeous look and feel, cracking characters and a brutal final Superhero fight that showcases what one of them is meant to be about. Yes, it's probably too Hollywood for his purists but for me it's still his most thoroughly entertaining movie.

EdmondDantes

I take issue with this statement in reference to Pan's Labyrinth: "The fantasy sequences are exactly that – fantasies concocted by the little girl as a coping mechanism". That is actually up to interpretation, not a fact as you state it. I posit you this: If it was all just a made up fantasy, how to Sophia get out of her locked room? Without the help of her 'magic chalk' this seems nigh impossible. Think a little deeper next time.